


Stories of the Second Self: Homeward

by John_Steiner



Series: Alter Idem [38]
Category: National Guard - Fandom, Urban Fantasy - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:34:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22522570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner
Summary: After two years the federal occupation is over, and Jerrod Connor can at last go home to visit his parents and siblings. However, Jerrod's dad breaks the news about what Michael had gotten into during that time.
Series: Alter Idem [38]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618813





	Stories of the Second Self: Homeward

Home had been a long time coming. For two years, nonstop, Jerrod had been activated and deployed with the rest of his Guard unit. He couldn't wait to see his parents and siblings again. Even when there was a bus service it didn't make its way out to the old town.

Jerrod reached the stop of the closest town to home and walked the rest of the way with his larger bag on one shoulder, and his duffle in the other hand. Seeing the white mailbox extending out on the rust three-beam stand was his flag that he'd reached home.

Turning from the dirt road onto the worn grooves to the house, Jerrod listed to the trees as the wind blew through them. Being a werewolf, he heard far more than most would have. Chicks in nests, the scratching scurry of squirrels, and his parents' dog groaning at the fact he couldn't get after the squirrels that high up.

His dad was sitting on the porch smoking a cigarette when he noticed Jerrod approaching the house. Jerrod's dad leaned forward to get a better look. Jerrod had spontaneously changed, but no one else in his family had.

"Jerrod?" his dad asked, being near-sighted.

"It's me dad," Jerrod answered with a smile.

"All that occupation stuff over with, like we're hearin' on the radio?" his dad asked.

"Yeah, it's done," Jerrod affirmed.

Then a scowl crossed his father's face, "Good, 'cause you need to talk to Michael about what he's been up to all this gosh dang time."

"What?" Jerrod's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Deedee, Jerrod's home," his dad called out and headed inside.

The paint on the house was a little more peeled than Jerrod remembered, and going inside he noticed there was no electrical power. Much of the state was like that, but the Ohio legislature promised to rebuild the power grid and restore water as their first objectives.

Standing in the living room, Jerrod heard the back porch door open and recognized his mother's footsteps. "Jerrod?"

Entering the kitchen, Jerrod noticed that the stove had gone without use for a long while, and that out the kitchen window he saw smoke from the barbecue grill.

"Mom," Jerrod answered, and dropped his stuff to receive her hug.

"I prayed to God to keep you safe," she cried tightening her hold.

"With everything else I saw, I can't say it didn't work," Jerrod said, accepting the warmth of being welcomed home.

Michael came in after, and Jerrod instantly noticed what his dad meant with the hair growth on Michael's neck. "Hey, Jerrod."

Jerrod looked to both of his parents. "When did this happen?"

"Go on, Michael," Jerrod's dad demanded with a scolding tone. "Tell 'em."

Michael's gaze dropped to the floor. "I got myself turned too."

"Got yourself turned?" Jerrod repeated loudly, "Since when?"

It wasn't a question, because Jerrod was already suspecting the answer, before Michael confirmed it. "I joined Ridgewood Pack. They initiated me. Said I was the toughest human they ever made a howler."

"You dumb mother fucker!" Jerrod felt like wolfing out right there.

"Language, Jerrod," his dad calmly admonished.

"Sorry dad," Jerrod quickly acquiesced, and returned his glare to Michael while pointing at himself. "I didn't go looking for this! It just happened. Coulda turned into anything; one of those nightcrawlers, a giant, or antlers growin' from my head! And you go and get'chr self turned by a...," Jerrod was about to swear again and caught himself, "a friggin' street pack? Same pack we had to shoot it out with in Cincinnati? You know how many werewolves we had to kill to bring the peace? Huh!? How many I had to shoot dead!"

"Thought we could be brothers again," Michael meekly mumbled.

"We ARE brothers," Jerrod shot, "Always, no matter what happened to us. That didn't change when we were different castes."

"You weren't around," Michael complained under his breath, "Mom and dad needed someone to help out."

"How much 'helping out' did being in Ridgewood do for 'ya?" Jerrod toned down his voice, but was still livid. "Hmm? What, did they send you home with groceries for dad and mom?"

Laura, Jerrod's sister came downstairs. "Who's all yelling?"

"Laura, Jerrod's home," his dad announced to her.

Jerrod expected Laura to burst in and embrace him, the way she did after he got back from boot camp. Instead, she stepped slowly into the doorway between the living room and kitchen. Her wings stood out for the shimmer of light bent around the feathers.

"They started growing right after you left to deploy," his dad revealed. "We didn't say nothin' in our letters, 'cause we didn't know how you'd take it."

"Hey, big sis," Jerrod greeted with a softer tone, and held an arm out.

When she walked over, Jerrod gave her a big hug too, and then turned back to Michael. "Did you take care of the other stuff you gotta do now? Did you report to the BPA that you're a werewolf? Lotta cities and towns are requiring werewolves to register themselves as armed with weapons, just for being werewolves. Did you know that?

"It's a law in Cincinnati, where your 'homies' are hangin' out. Bet your street bros didn't tell you that, did they? It's a federal crime to be turned and not report it. You so much as jaywalk and they slap a weapons possession charge on you, like that," Jerrod snapped his fingers for emphasis, and then looked to his dad nodding. "I'll help him with the paperwork, dad, but he's gotta get out of that street pack."

"He knows," Jerrod's dad replied, "Ohio State Police are the ones who brought him back after he was caught gang bangin' in Norwood."

"Does that mean he has a record?" Jerrod asked.

"With all the other mess they're dealing with, they let him off with a warning," Jerrod's mother answered, "I don't think they'll be so generous next time, with what I heard being done."

"Getting turned is one thing, Michael," Jerrod said, having vented the last of his anger. "But joining a street pack was dangerous. I saw a dude out there cuttin' their heads off like it was nothin' to him. Guy was like a crime boss or something. Then there's the bigots. They already got a name for hate crimes against us. Silvering. I've been hit with silver and it hurts like you wouldn't believe."

Michael just stood there and wiped at a tear. Then, Jerrod strode over and finally embraced his little brother, telling him, "I'll get'cha through the bureaucracy crap, baby bro. I'm gonna need you to stay out of Cincinnati for a long while though."

"I'm sorry, Jerrod," Michael cried for the first time in Jerrod's memory.

"I'm here, Mikey," Jerrod soothed, "We're in this together, okay?"


End file.
